Kniphofia plant named ‘Lemon Popsicle’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Kniphofia  plant characterized by numerous spikes of yellow flowers the first year, repeat blooming from June through September in Canby, Oreg., a compact habit with multiple crowns, narrow, grassy leaves, and excellent vigor.

Botanical denomination: Kniphofia spp.

Cultivar designation: ‘Lemon Popsicle’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Kniphofia, and giventhe cultivar name is ‘Lemon Popsicle’. Kniphofia is in the familyAsphodelaceae. ‘Lemon Popsicle’ is a hybrid resulting from a plannedbreeding program to produce a series of compact, reblooming Kniphofia.The cross was made using the following proprietary, unreleased plants:Kniphofia 8-1, as the seed parent, and Kniphofia 9-1, as the pollenparent. It was selected for best habit, flower color, reblooming, andcrown count from many seedlings of the cross in Canby, Oreg.

Compared to the seed parent, Kniphofia 8-1, the new cultivar has yellowrather than bicolor yellow and orange flowers.

Compared to the pollen parent, Kniphofia 9-1, the new cultivar hasshorter flower stalks that are more free flowering.

Compared to Kniphofia ‘Little Maid’ (an unpatented plant), the newcultivar is more vigorous and has clear deep yellow flowers rather thanbicolor light yellow and cream flowers.

Compared to Kniphofia ‘Dwarf Yellow’ (an unpatented plant), the newcultivar is a deeper yellow color and more free flowering.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is unique and characterized by:

-   -   1. numerous spikes of yellow flowers the first year    -   2. repeat blooming from June through September in Canby, Oreg.    -   3. compact habit with multiple crowns    -   4. narrow, grassy leaves    -   5. excellent vigor, fills a one gallon pot the first year from        tissue culture

This new cultivar has been reproduced only by asexual propagation(division, tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identicalcharacteristics to the new cultivar. Asexual propagation by leafcuttings, tissue culture, and division using standard techniques as donein Canby, Oreg., shows that the foregoing characteristics anddistinctions come true to form and are established and transmittedthrough succeeding propagations. The present invention has not beenevaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype mayvary with variations in environment without a change in the genotype ofthe plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 shows a plant of a one-year-old Kniphofia ‘Lemon Popsicle’ in theground in the garden in July in Canby, Oreg.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Kniphofia cultivarbased on observations of one and a half year old specimens growing inthe ground outside in full sun in Canby, Oreg. Canby is in Zone 8 on theUSDA Hardiness map. Temperatures range from a high of 95 degrees F. inAugust to an average of 32 degrees F. in January. Normal rainfall inCanby is 42.8 inches per year in the trial fields in Canby, Oreg. Thecolor descriptions are all based on The Royal Horticultural SocietyColour Chart, 5^(th) edition, published 2007.

-   Plant:    -   -   Type.—Rhizomatous herbaceous perennial.        -   Hardiness.—USDA Zones 6 to 9.        -   Size.—Grows to 45 cm wide and 45 cm tall from the top of the            soil to the top of the foliage, grows to 65 cm tall to the            top of the inflorescence.        -   Average number of leaves.—50.        -   Form.—Clumping.-   Leaf:    -   -   Type.—Simple.        -   Shape.—Strap-like.        -   Arrangement.—Basal rosette.        -   Blade size.—Grows to 50 cm long and 18 mm wide.        -   Margins.—Minutely serrulate.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Clasping.        -   Surface texture.—Glabrous on both surfaces.        -   Venation.—Parallel.        -   Color.—Top and bottom side Green 137A.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Spike-like scapose raceme.        -   Number of flowers per raceme.—About 90.        -   Inflorescence.—Grows to 20 cm long and 4.4 cm wide.        -   Peduncle description.—Grows to 45 cm long and 7 mm wide,            glabrous, Yellow Green 146B.        -   Pedicle description.—2.5 mm long, glabrous, Yellow Green            146C.        -   Bloom time.—Late June through September in Canby, Oreg.        -   Lastingness.—An inflorescence lasts for 2 to 4 weeks            depending on the temperatures.-   Flower bud:    -   -   Size.—22 mm long and 5 mm wide.        -   Shape.—Cylindrical.        -   Surface texture.—Glabrous.        -   Color.—Yellow 10B with tints of Green Yellow 1C near base            and on veins.-   Flower:    -   -   Type.—Actinomorphic.        -   Shape.—Cylindrical and tubular.        -   Size.—Grows to 2.8 cm deep and 10 mm wide.        -   Texture.—Waxy.        -   Surface texture.—Glabrous inside and outside.        -   Color.—Inside and outside, Yellow 5C darkening to 9C with            veins Green Yellow 1C.        -   Corolla description.—6 lobed fused tepals, 22 mm long and 11            mm wide, each lobe 3 mm wide and 4 mm long, ovate to oblong,            margin entire, tip notched; glabrous inside and out.        -   Pistil description.—One, 27 mm long, ovary 4 mm long 2.5 mm            wide, Yellow Green 144A, style extruding, 18 mm long, stigma            and style Green Yellow 1C.        -   Stamen.—6, 31 mm long, filaments 30 mm long, and Green            Yellow 1C, anthers 1.5 mm long and Yellow Orange 20A, pollen            none.        -   Fragrance.—None.-   Fruit and seed: Few capsules seen, 5 mm long and 4 mm wide,    glabrous, subglobous, Green 137A.-   Pest and diseases: No known resistances to pests or diseases. No    problems have been observed on this plant grown under commercial    conditions in Canby, Oreg.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Kniphofia plant as herein shown anddescribed.